As ceasefire negotiations faltered once again, the Israeli military intensified operations in Gaza while demonstrators packed Tel Aviv’s Habima Square to demand an end to the Gaza war. The dual developments, reported by Jewish Telegraphic Agency and JNS.org, underscored Israel’s internal tensions and the enduring instability of efforts to reach a hostage release deal.
Protesters call Gaza war “political,” urge Netanyahu to stop
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv Thursday night in a rally organized by bereaved families, hostage relatives, and combat soldiers’ parents, JTA reported. While some attendees demanded immediate return of Israeli hostages, others voiced moral and strategic objections to the war itself. “It’s become a political war,” said retired Major General Noam Tibon, denouncing what he called a failed government effort and a “shameful” draft exemption bill. Others accused the Israeli leadership of prolonging the conflict at the expense of soldiers and civilians alike.
Gaza suffering grows as war, hunger spreads
Images of starving children in Gaza were a focal point of the Tel Aviv protest, with demonstrators citing what they see as unbearable humanitarian conditions. “We must choose life,” said Effie Shoham, who lost his son in Gaza. Meanwhile, Yehuda Mirsky, a Jerusalem-based religious activist, said the hunger crisis was no longer “disputable” and signaled that Israel’s role in the conflict had become unsustainable.
IAF strikes key Hamas leaders as talks collapse
While public unrest stirred in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Air Force struck dozens of Hamas targets in Gaza, according to the IDF and reported by JNS.org. Among those killed was Amjad Muhammad Hassan Shaer, head of Hamas’s Counterintelligence Directorate, responsible for suppressing dissent and aiding terror operations. In a separate strike, the IDF killed Muhammad al-’Amour, accused of smuggling arms at the Rafah Crossing. These actions coincided with the collapse of negotiations in Doha, where Hamas reportedly introduced new demands for the release of high-profile prisoners tied to the Oct. 7 attacks.
No end in sight amid growing public divide
Hostage talks appear indefinitely stalled, and while the IDF continues its operations in areas like Beit Hanoun and Gaza City, Israelis remain sharply divided over the path forward. Protesters expressed frustration that political leadership had failed to balance military objectives with humanitarian responsibility — or to show a clear exit strategy. As protester Roy Rieck put it, “There’s a growing sense that soldiers are dying for no good apparent reason.”
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